Isaac Hempstead Wright is best known for his role as Bran Stark in Game of Thrones, but he enjoyed film success last year when he lent his voice the The Boxtrolls.
The Boxtrolls
The Boxtrolls is released on DVD and Blu-Ray tomorrow - 26th January - and Isaac talks about the movie and his role.
- What was it about The Boxtrolls that initially appealed to you?
I think it was the fact that it's made by Laika. Being able to be a part of that sold me liked that!
- Are you a big fan of their films?
Yes and being part of this has just showed me how much work really goes into it. I've become an even bigger fan now.
- Tell us about your character, Eggs, and how you approached him.
Egg is a sort of 10 or 11 year old plucky boy who was raised by boxtrolls and doesn't realise that he's not a boxtroll. He's sort of one of these mythological feral children who's been raised by animals, wild animals and in isolation from humanity, away from the sort of poisons of society.
Or at least Cheesebridgian society (the setting in which The Boxtrolls takes place), which is rife with snobberies about cheese and class. And by virtue of that he sort of has a better connection to humanity and what he is, is this great unification of the Boxtroll elements and the human elements, because the Boxtrolls are very caring and nurturing and loving but they are very cowardly and shy and scary.
The humans', at least in Cheesebridge are airheads but they're brave which is what Eggs needs to lead the Boxtrolls against snatcher, who is trying to kill them all.
- What was the biggest challenge in bringing him to life?
Not necessarily a challenge, but an interesting new thing for me was just doing an animated film in general. Creating a character just with your voice, rather than your entire self was very different.
- What was it like when you saw Eggs for the first time on screen?
It was very cool to finally see my character there. But there was also a sense of disconnect. With live action you watch yourself and you can see that, you know, that is you and you see it come to life.
But here, because it's not your body and your voice is coming out of something else, it feels a little bit like you are not really watching yourself. It was intriguing.
- Did you do any recording sessions with your co-stars?
I did with Ben [Kingsley- Archibald Snatcher] and Elle [Fanning- Winnie] and Simon Pegg (Herbert Trubshaw) as well. They were very good fun. You really notice that the whole thing comes to life a bit more when you do it with the other actor.
- What was it like recording with Ben Kingsley (Archibald Snatcher)?
That was a very intense recording session (laughs)... We were in this very tiny recording studio in Oxford. He obviously had this very big chair and I was perched in a corner sort of cowering while he was delivering these very terrifying, booming lines. So you probably got a pretty authentic terrified performance from me.
- What was it like working with your directors, Graham Annable and Anthony Stacchi?
Tony (Director) and Graham (Director) were absolutely excellent. They'd been working with the movie and the character for seven odd years before I'd even become involved. They really understood everything about it and everything about my character as well. I just had to listen to them and it all went well (laughs).
- Did you get to visit The Boxtrolls set?
It was incredible. It was like I'd won the lottery, gone through a magical door, and ended up in a parallel miniature universe. It's kind of like a university there, with various different departments, and they're all committed to excellence.
They work so hard at everything, whether it be the tiniest thing like a sofa... I mean I'm pretty sure most job websites don't list 'miniature sofa upholsterers' as a job option. But they have people there who carefully stuff and sew them and create this incredible world which you see on screen.
- What do you hope audiences take away from The Boxtrolls?
I hope they take away the message of working things out for yourself rather than just listening to what everyone else says.
So much of the movie is about this mass hysteria which is whipped up by Snatcher [Ben Kingsley's character], who, without any evidence or base for his claims, manages to make the whole town believe that boxtrolls are horrible. It's really about not just listening to what everyone else says. You know, discovering things for yourself.
- Do you have a favourite cheese?
I do! It's called Salva Cremasco. No one's ever heard of it. It's just in my local farm shop. But it's an Italian semisoft cheese. It's very nice. I'd recommend it!
The Boxtrolls is released on 3D Blu-ray and DVD on 26 January 2015